New beach shelters for swimmers introduced in Meath

Four new beach shelters have been launched in the Laytown/Bettystown area last week which will allow access for swimmers to change in comfort.

The shelters have been put in place due to the significant growth in the popularity of outdoor swimming in recent years, yielding a breadth of physical and social wellbeing benefits.

Funding was made available to Meath Local Sports Partnership network in 2024, by Minister for Public Health, Wellbeing, and the National Drugs Strategy Hildegarde Naughton TD for outdoor swimming infrastructure projects.

Meath LSP were successful in their application to Sport Ireland (who administered the fund on behalf of the department) and were approved €23,000 for the development of the beach shelters in the Laytown/Bettystown area.

Working in tandem with the staff team of the municipal district in Laytown/Bettystown, Meath LSP installed four shelters to improve access and facilities at the following outdoor swimming locations:

- Two in Laytown

- One at Delaney’s lane, Laytown

- One at Bettystown Civic Centre.

Within the grant provision, allocation was also made for the painting of the shelters.

In one of his first duties as Cathaoirleach of Meath County Council, Cllr Wayne Harding, along with fellow Cathaoirleach of Laytown/Bettystown Municipal District (MD), Cllr Sharon Tolan, officially opened the newly installed beach shelters at Netterville Terrace, Laytown.

Cllr Harding quoted an incredibly grateful swimmer who sent the following message by way of thanks to Meath LSP:

“I wanted to send you a message to say thank you so much from myself and a contingent of other swimmers for our new beach shelter in Laytown."

“We are beyond delighted! I have been sea swimming for some three years now and I can honestly say it is of enormous benefit to my physical and mental health. I absolutely love it."

“What I was not loving (as someone who walks rather than drives to the beach), was having my towel and coat soaked if it started to rain while I was swimming."

“Also, not a fan of chasing my gear when it took flight on the frequent windy days! The shelter is just fantastic!”